Born and raised in Lahou, a small island in Côte d'Ivoire, Aya is happy as can be, living with her mother and brother, picking coconuts, and taking naps peacefully on the sand. However, as the sea level gradually increases, her homeland is slowly being eroded by the sea. Residents are relocating to the city, and her family has no choice now but to leave. Director Simon Coulibaly Gillard’s ///Aya/// is somewhere between a documentary and feature film. The problem of diaspora happening around the world is a political problem and a natural disaster. This complicated problem is shown through a girl's internal struggle and personal journey. The director reduced his filming crew consciously to ease interaction with the islanders, and his assistant director translated between the islanders and amateur actors to create this film.

2021 Cannes Film Festival

Simon Coulibaly GILLARD

Simon Gillard was born in Bulgaria. He moved to Brussels to follow a master in film direction (Insas). During these last five years in the Belgian capital, he looks for his way and his inspiration in the little documented rural territories. With success, because several documentaries of Simon Gillard are multi-prized in many festivals. His latest work is the film AYA (2021).